Article Of Footwear With Layered Fit System

ABSTRACT

An article of footwear includes a sole structure and an upper. The sole structure has a peripheral area and a central area located inward from the peripheral area. The upper is for receiving a foot of a wearer and has an outer layer and an inner layer. The outer layer extends from a throat area of the upper to a lower area of the upper, and the outer layer is secured at the peripheral area of the sole structure. The inner layer is located inward of the outer layer and extends from the throat area to the lower area. The inner layer lays adjacent to the outer layer, and the inner layer is (a) secured at the central area of the sole structure and (b) unsecured between the throat area and the central area of the sole structure.

CROSS-REFERENCE To RELATED APPLICATION

This U.S. patent application is a continuation-in-part application andclaims priority under 35 U.S.C. §120 to U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/895,442, which was filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on30 Sep. 2010 and entitled Footwear With Internal Harness, such priorU.S. patent application being entirely incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

An article of footwear generally includes two primary elements: an upperand a sole structure. The upper is often formed from a plurality ofmaterial elements (e.g., textiles, polymer sheet layers, polymer foamlayers, leather, synthetic leather) that are stitched or adhesivelybonded together to form a void within the footwear for comfortably andsecurely receiving a foot. More particularly, the upper forms astructure that extends over instep and toe areas of the foot, alongmedial and lateral sides of the foot, and around a heel area of thefoot. The upper may also incorporate a lacing system to adjust fit ofthe footwear, as well as permitting entry and removal of the foot fromthe void within the upper. In addition, the upper may include a tonguethat extends under the lacing system to enhance adjustability andcomfort of the footwear.

The sole structure is secured to a lower portion of the upper andpositioned between the foot and the ground. In athletic footwear, forexample, the sole structure often includes a midsole and an outsole. Themidsole may be formed from a polymer foam material that attenuatesground reaction forces (i.e., provides cushioning) during walking,running, and other ambulatory activities. The midsole may also includefluid-filled chambers, plates, moderators, or other elements thatfurther attenuate forces, enhance stability, or influence the motions ofthe foot, for example. In some configurations, the midsole may beprimarily formed from a fluid-filled chamber. The outsole forms aground-contacting element of the footwear and is usually fashioned froma durable and wear-resistant rubber material that includes texturing toimpart traction. The sole structure may also include a socklinerpositioned within the void of the upper and proximal a lower surface ofthe foot to enhance footwear comfort.

A conventional method of manufacturing an article of footwear involvesthe use of a lasting process. More particularly, a majority of the upperis formed and placed around a last, which has a general shape of a foot.Various processes are then utilized to conform the upper to the last,thereby imparting the general shape of the foot to the void within theupper. The sole structure is then secured to a lower area of the upper(e.g., through stitching or adhesive bonding) to substantially completemanufacturing.

SUMMARY

Numerous aspects and variations of an article of footwear are disclosedbelow. The footwear includes a sole structure and an upper. The solestructure has a peripheral area and a central area located inward fromthe peripheral area. The upper is for receiving a foot of a wearer andhas an outer layer and an inner layer. In some configurations, the outerlayer extends from a throat area of the upper to a lower area of theupper, and the outer layer is secured at the peripheral area of the solestructure. In some configurations, the inner layer is located inward ofthe outer layer and extends from the throat area to the lower area. Insome configurations, the inner layer lays adjacent to the outer layer,and the inner layer is (a) secured at the central area of the solestructure and (b) unsecured between the throat area and the central areaof the sole structure. In some configurations, the combination of thesefeatures may provide a more proper and secure fit for feet withdifferent proportions.

The advantages and features of novelty characterizing aspects of theinvention are pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. Togain an improved understanding of the advantages and features ofnovelty, however, reference may be made to the following descriptivematter and accompanying figures that describe and illustrate variousconfigurations and concepts related to the invention.

FIGURE DESCRIPTIONS

The foregoing Summary and the following Detailed Description will bebetter understood when read in conjunction with the accompanyingfigures.

FIG. 1 is a lateral side elevational view of an article of footwear.

FIG. 2 is a medial side elevational view of the article of footwear.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are cross-sectional views of the article of footwear, asrespectively defined by section lines 3A and 3B in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIGS. 4A-4C are cross-sectional views corresponding with FIG. 3B anddepicting various sizes of a foot within the article of footwear.

FIGS. 5A-5E are cross-sectional views corresponding with FIG. 3B anddepicting further configurations of the article of footwear.

FIGS. 6A-6D are lateral side elevational views corresponding with FIG. 1and depicting further configurations of the article of footwear.

FIG. 7 is a medial side elevational view corresponding with FIG. 2 anddepicting a further configuration of the article of footwear.

FIG. 8 is a lateral side elevational view corresponding with FIG. 1 anddepicting a further configuration of the article of footwear.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the article of footwear, as definedby section line 9 in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a lateral side elevational view corresponding with FIG. 1 anddepicting a further configuration of the article of footwear.

FIGS. 11A and 11B are cross-sectional views of the article of footwear,as defined by section lines 11A and 11B in FIG. 10.

FIGS. 12 and 14 are partial perspective views of a further configurationof the article of footwear.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the article of footwear, as definedby section line 13 in FIG. 12.

FIGS. 15A and 15B are cross-sectional views corresponding with FIG. 13and depicting further configurations of the article of footwear.

FIGS. 16 and 17 are side elevational views respectively correspondingwith FIGS. 1 and 2 and depicting a further configuration of the articleof footwear.

FIG. 18 is a partial top plan view of the configuration of the articleof footwear depicted in FIGS. 16 and 17.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following discussion and accompanying figures disclose variousconfigurations of an article of footwear that incorporates a layered fitsystem. The footwear is disclosed, for purposes of example, as havingthe configuration of a basketball shoe. Concepts associated with thefootwear, including the layered fit system, may also be applied to avariety of other athletic footwear types, including baseball shoes,cross-training shoes, cycling shoes, football shoes, running shoes,sprinting shoes, tennis shoes, golf shoes, soccer shoes, walking shoes,hiking boots, ski and snowboard boots, and ice and roller skates, forexample. The concepts may also be applied to footwear types that aregenerally considered to be non-athletic, including dress shoes, loafers,sandals, and work boots. A wide variety of footwear types may,therefore, incorporate the concepts disclosed herein.

General Footwear Configuration

An article of footwear 10 is depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 as including asole structure 20 and an upper 30. Sole structure 20 is secured to alower area of upper 30 and extends between upper 30 and the ground.Upper 30 provides a comfortable and secure covering for a foot of awearer. As such, the foot may be located within upper 30, whicheffectively secures the foot within footwear 10, and sole structure 20extends under the foot to attenuate forces, enhance stability, orinfluence the motions of the foot, for example. Additional details offootwear 10 are depicted in the cross-sectional views of FIGS. 3A and3B.

For purposes of reference in the following discussion, footwear 10 maybe divided into three general regions: a forefoot region 11, a midfootregion 12, and a heel region 13. Forefoot region 11 generally includesportions of footwear 10 corresponding with the toes and the jointsconnecting the metatarsals with the phalanges. Midfoot region 12generally includes portions of footwear 10 corresponding with an archarea of the foot. Heel region 13 generally corresponds with rearportions of the foot, including the calcaneus bone. Footwear 10 alsoincludes a lateral side 14 and a medial side 15, which extend througheach of regions 11-13 and correspond with opposite sides of footwear 10.More particularly, lateral side 14 corresponds with an outside area ofthe foot (i.e. the surface that faces away from the other foot), andmedial side 15 corresponds with an inside area of the foot (i.e., thesurface that faces toward the other foot). Regions 11-13 and sides 14-15are not intended to demarcate precise areas of footwear 10. Rather,regions 11-13 and sides 14-15 are intended to represent general areas offootwear 10 to aid in the following discussion. In addition to footwear10, regions 11-13 and sides 14-15 may also be applied to sole structure20, upper 30, and individual elements thereof.

Sole structure 20 includes a midsole 21, an outsole 22, and a sockliner23. Midsole 21 is secured to a lower surface of upper 30 and may beformed from a compressible polymer foam element (e.g., a polyurethane orethylvinylacetate foam) that attenuates ground reaction forces (i.e.,provides cushioning) when compressed between the foot and the groundduring walking, running, or other ambulatory activities. In furtherconfigurations, midsole 21 may incorporate fluid-filled chambers,plates, moderators, or other elements that further attenuate forces,enhance stability, or influence the motions of the foot, or midsole 21may be primarily formed from a fluid-filled chamber. Outsole 22 forms aground-contacting surface of sole structure 20 that is secured to alower surface of midsole 21 and may be formed from a wear-resistantrubber material with texturing to impart traction. Sockliner 23 islocated within upper 30, as depicted in FIGS. 3A and 3B, and ispositioned to extend under a lower surface of the foot. Although thisconfiguration for sole structure 20 provides an example of a solestructure that may be used in connection with upper 30, a variety ofother conventional or nonconventional configurations for sole structure20 may also be utilized. Accordingly, the structure and features of solestructure 20 or any sole structure utilized with upper 30 may varyconsiderably.

Various portions of upper 30 may be formed from one or more of aplurality of material elements (e.g., textiles, polymer sheets, foamlayers, leather, synthetic leather) that are stitched or bonded togetherto form a void within footwear 10 for receiving and securing a footrelative to sole structure 20. The void is shaped to accommodate thefoot and extends along the lateral side of the foot, along the medialside of the foot, over the foot, around the heel, and under the foot.Access to the void is provided by an ankle opening 31 located in atleast heel region 13. A lace 32 extends through various lace-receivingelements 33 and permits the wearer to modify dimensions of upper 30 toaccommodate the proportions of the foot. More particularly, lace 32permits the wearer to tighten upper 30 around the foot, and lace 32permits the wearer to loosen upper 30 to facilitate entry and removal ofthe foot from the void (i.e., through ankle opening 31). Lace-receivingelements 33 are depicted as having two configurations: (a) aperturesextending through upper 30 and (b) loops of material. In furtherconfigurations, lace-receiving elements 33 may also be eyelets,grommets, hooks, D-rings, or any other structure that receives lace 32.In addition, upper 30 includes a tongue 34 that extends between theinterior void and lace 32 to enhance the comfort of footwear 10. In someconfigurations, upper 30 may incorporate a heel counter that limits heelmovement in heel region 13 or a wear-resistant toe guard located inforefoot region 11.

A lasting process may be utilized in the manufacture of footwear 10.More particularly, a majority of upper 30 is formed and placed around alast, which has the general shape of a foot. In order to tighten upper30 around the last, thereby imparting the general shape of the foot tothe void within upper 30, a strobel material 35 may be secured to alower perimeter of upper 30 and stretched across an area of the lastcorresponding with a lower surface of the foot. Sole structure 20 isthen secured to the lower perimeter of upper 30 and strobel material 35through one or a combination of adhesive bonding, thermal bonding, andstitching, for example.

For reference purposes, upper 30 may include a throat area 36 and alower area 37, as generally shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Throat area 36includes a portion of upper 30 that generally corresponds with an uppersurface of the foot. More particularly, throat area 36 encompasses anarea of upper 30 that includes lace 32, lace-receiving elements 33, andtongue 34. Lower area 37 includes a portion of upper 30 that generallycorresponds with a lower surface of the foot. More particularly, lowerarea 37 encompasses the area of upper 30 where the lower perimeter ofupper 30 and strobel material 35 join with sole structure 20.

Fit System Configuration

Footwear 10 incorporates a layered fit system 40 that assists withsecuring a foot within the void in upper 30. More particularly, layeredfit system 40 ensures that portions of upper 30 lay against the foot andproperly secure the foot within upper 30. As discussed in detail below,layered fit system 40 adjusts to accommodate feet with variousproportions. As a result, layered fit system 40 may provide a moreproper and secure fit for different people, each of which have feet withdifferent proportions.

Layered fit system 40 primarily includes an outer layer 41 and an innerlayer 42. Outer layer 41 extends throughout upper 30 and forms amajority of an exterior surface of upper 30 and an interior surface ofupper 30. As such, outer layer 41 may be formed from a plurality ofmaterial elements (e.g., textiles, polymer sheets, foam layers, leather,synthetic leather) that are stitched or bonded together to form amajority of upper 30. Inner layer 42 is positioned inward of outer layer41 and primarily located within the void in upper 30. Inner layer 42 isalso positioned in lateral side 14 and at a location corresponding witha forward area of midfoot region 12. As such, inner layer 42 ispositioned to generally correspond with a ball of the foot, whichincludes the joints between the metatarsal bones and the proximalphalanges of the foot.

Layers 41 and 42 are secured to each other in throat area 36 and form aloop that provides the structure for one of lace-receiving elements 33.Although the manner of joining layers 41 and 42 in throat area 36 mayvary, layers 41 and 42 are depicted as being secured (e.g., withstitching, bonding) to each other in an overlapping configuration. Inlower area 37, layers 41 and 42 are secured to other elements offootwear 10 and in areas that are spaced from each other. Moreparticularly, outer layer 41 is secured to one or both of (a) an edge ofstrobel material 35 and (b) a peripheral area of an upper surface ofsole structure 20. Inner layer 42 is secured to one or both of (a) acentral area of strobel material 35 and (b) a central area of the uppersurface of sole structure 20. Additionally, inner layer 42 is unsecuredin the peripheral area of sole structure 20. The manner in which layers41 and 42 are secured (e.g., with stitching, bonding) in lower area 37and the specific element to which layers 41 and 42 are secured may vary.In general, however, outer layer 41 is secured at a positioncorresponding with or adjacent to the peripheral area of sole structure20, and inner layer 42 is (a) secured at a position corresponding withor adjacent to the central area of sole structure 20 and (b) unsecuredin the peripheral area.

Inner layer 42 is generally unsecured to other portions of footwear 100between throat area 36 and the central area of sole structure 20. Innerlayer 42 is, therefore, unsecured to the inward facing surface of outerlayer 41, as well as areas of footwear 10 that form or are adjacent tothe peripheral area of sole structure 20. Opposite ends of inner layer42 are, however, secured (a) at the position corresponding with oradjacent to the central area of sole structure 20 and (b) to outer layer41 to form the loop that provides the structure for one oflace-receiving elements 33.

Layers 41 and 42 are separate from or unsecured to each other betweenthroat area 36 and lower area 37. That is, portions of layers 41 and 42may lay against each other between areas 36 and 37, but are generallyunsecured and may move, deflect, or stretch independently between areas36 and 37. An advantage of the independence between layers 41 and 42relates to providing a more proper and secure fit for feet withdifferent proportions.

An example of the manner in which layered fit system 40 operates toaccommodate feet with different proportions is depicted in FIGS. 4A-4C,in which one of a foot 16, a foot 17, or a foot 18 is located withinupper 30. Feet 16-18 have different proportions, with (a) foot 16 beinglarger than foot 17 and (b) foot 17 being larger than foot 18. Referringto FIG. 4A, foot 16 effectively spans the entire width of sole structure20 and substantially fills the void within upper 30. Note that layers 41and 42 lay against each other in the region between throat area 36 andlower area 37, but a relatively small gap 19 is formed between layers 41and 42 adjacent to the peripheral area of sole structure 20. At thelocation of gap 19, however, inner layer 42 ensures that sockliner 23lays against foot 16 to assist with imparting a proper and secure fit.Referring to FIG. 4B, foot 17 is located within the void in upper 30.Foot 17 has a lesser width than foot 16 and may span less of the widthof sole structure 20 than foot 16. Note that layers 41 and 42 layagainst each other in the region between throat area 36 and lower area37, but a larger gap 19 (when compared to FIG. 4A) is formed betweenlayers 41 and 42 adjacent to the peripheral area of sole structure 20.At the location of this gap, however, inner layer 42 assist withensuring that sockliner 23 lays against foot 17 to impart a proper andsecure fit. Referring to FIG. 4C, foot 18 is located within the void inupper 30. Foot 18 has a lesser width than foot 17 and may span less ofthe width of sole structure 20 than foot 17. Note that layers 41 and 42lay against each other in the region between throat area 36 and lowerarea 37, but an even larger gap 19 (when compared to FIGS. 4A and 4B) isformed between layers 41 and 42 adjacent to the peripheral area of solestructure 20. At the location of this gap, however, inner layer 42assist with ensuring that sockliner 23 lays against foot 18 to impart aproper and secure fit. Accordingly, layered fit system 40 adjusts toensure that inner layer 42 lays against any of feet 16-18, therebyimparting a proper and secure fit.

Either of layers 41 and 42 may be formed from materials conventionallyutilized in footwear uppers (e.g., textiles, polymer sheets, leather,synthetic leather), as well as other materials that exhibit suitableproperties for layered fit system 40. Although many materials may beutilized, an advantage may be gained by selecting a material for innerlayer 42 with relatively little stretch. Given that inner layer 42 laysagainst a foot and may provide some support for the foot, forming innerlayer 42 from a material with relatively little stretch may ensure thatinner layer 42 continues to impart support when placed in tension duringwalking, running, or cutting (i.e., side-to-side) movements. Otherproperties that may be beneficial for inner layer 42 include resistanceto moisture (e.g., perspiration) and relatively high tensile strength.

Further Configurations

The various features discussed above provide an example of oneconfiguration for footwear 10 and layered fit system 40. In furtherconfigurations, however, numerous features of footwear 10 and layeredfit system 40 may vary to impart a variety of properties to footwear 10.For example, features or other aspects of layered fit system 40 may varyto tailor footwear 10 to particular athletic activities. Althoughvarious examples of further configurations are discussed below, avariety of other configurations may also fall within the scope of thepresent discussion. Moreover, although many of the configurations arediscussed and depicted separately, features from some configurations maybe utilized in combination with features from other configurations.

Whereas inner layer 42 is depicted in FIG. 3B as being secured at aposition corresponding with a center of sole structure 20, inner layer42 may be secured in other locations in the central area of solestructure 20. For example, FIG. 5A depicts a configuration in whichinner layer 42 is secured at a location that is approximately one-thirdof a distance from lateral side 14 and medial side 15. As a similarexample, FIG. 5B depicts a configuration in which inner layer 42 issecured at a location that is approximately two-thirds of a distancefrom lateral side 14 and medial side 15. Although inner layer 42 issecured at a position corresponding with the central area of solestructure 20 in each of these examples, inner layer 42 is generallyunsecured in the peripheral area.

Outer layer 41 may be a single layer or a plurality of layers. Eachlayer may impart various properties. Referring to FIG. 5C, outer layer41 is depicted as having a thickness that includes an outer stratum 51,an intermediate stratum 52, and an inner stratum 53, each of which maybe formed from different materials (e.g., textiles, polymer sheetlayers, polymer foam layers, leather, synthetic leather). For example,outer stratum 51 may be an element of synthetic leather that impartsdurability (e.g., wear-resistance) and stretch-resistance, intermediatestratum 52 may be an element of polymer foam that enhances the comfortof footwear 10, and inner stratum 53 may be a textile element that iscomfortable against the foot and absorbs moisture (e.g., perspiration).

Layered fit system 40, particularly inner layer 42, is depicted as beingprimarily located on lateral side 14. Referring to FIG. 5D, however,inner layer 42 is depicted as being located on medial side 15. Moreparticularly, inner layer 42 (a) is secured to a position correspondingwith the central area of sole structure 20, (b) is unsecured in theperipheral area, and (c) extends through medial side 15. Anotherconfiguration is depicted in FIG. 5E, wherein layered fit system 40includes two inner layers 42 that (a) are secured to a positioncorresponding with the central area of sole structure 20, (b) areunsecured in the peripheral area, and (c) extend to each of lateral side14 and medial side 15. As such, concepts associated with layered fitsystem 40 may be applied to either or both of sides 14 and 15 offootwear 10.

A further configuration of footwear 10 is depicted in FIG. 6A, whereininner layer 42 has greater width and extends through a larger portion oflateral side 14. Layers 41 and 42 form two lace-receiving loops 33.Referring to FIG. 6B, a second inner layer 42 is associated with lateralside 14 and is positioned to extend through portions of regions 12 and13. The second inner layer 42 is secured to the central area of solestructure 20 in heel region 13, extends upwardly at an angle towardsmidfoot region 12, and is secured to outer layer 41 and forms alace-receiving element 33. An advantage of this configuration is thatthe two inner layers 42 cooperatively provide support for the ball ofthe foot and a rear area of the foot. Another configuration is depictedin FIG. 7, wherein inner layer 42 is located on medial side 15 andextends through midfoot region 12. Accordingly, the locations and extentof inner layer 42 in layered fit system 40 may vary considerably.

The various figures discussed above depict a configuration of footwear10 that is a basketball shoe. Concepts associated with layered fitsystem 40 may also be applied to other types of footwear. For example,FIG. 6C depicts footwear 10 as having a configuration of a tennis shoe,and FIG. 6D depicts footwear 10 as having a configuration of a sprintingshoe. As such, a wide variety of footwear types may incorporate theconcepts disclosed herein.

In the configurations discussed above, outer layer 41 forms a part of oris integrated with the plurality of material elements that are stitchedor bonded together to form a majority of upper 30. In otherconfigurations, outer layer 41 may be separate from the materialelements forming upper 30 and may be formed of unitary (i.e., one-piece)configuration with inner layer 42. As an example, FIGS. 8 and 9 depict aconfiguration wherein one portion of inner layer 42 is secured to anexterior of upper 30 and another portion of inner layer 42 is locatedwithin upper 120. As in the various configurations discussed above,inner layer 42 (a) is secured to a position corresponding with thecentral area of sole structure 20 and (b) is unsecured in the peripheralarea. Moreover, layers 41 and 42 are formed from a common element ofmaterial, which negates the overlapping configuration that joined layers41 and 42 in prior configurations.

Although layers 41 and 42 may be secured to each other in throat area36, layers 41 and 42 may also be unsecured in some configurations.Referring to FIGS. 10, 11A, and 11B, for example, layers 41 and 42 layadjacent to each other and define a plurality of alternating aperturesthat form the various lace-receiving elements 33, with lace 32 extendingthrough the apertures. As with other configurations, outer layer 41 issecured at a position corresponding with a peripheral area of solestructure 20, and inner layer 42 is (a) secured at a positioncorresponding with a central area of sole structure 20 and (b) unsecuredin the peripheral area. When lace 32 is tightened, each of layers 41 and42 are independently tightened around the foot through tension at eachof the apertures forming lace-receiving elements 33. Inner layer 42 alsowraps around the foot to impart a proper and secure fit.

Strap Configurations

In each of the configurations discussed above, lace 32 is utilized totension each of layers 41 and 42 and secure the foot within upper 30. Asan alternative, FIGS. 12 and 13 depict a configuration wherein a strap61 is used to adjust tension. The material of strap 61 forms a loop onlateral side 14 that receives a ring 62 (e.g., a D-ring or doubleD-ring). Strap 61 extends across upper 20 and to medial side 15, wherestrap 61 is joined to a fastener 63 (e.g., hook-and-loop fastener,magnetic fastener). Additionally, inner layer 42 extends through anopening 64 in upper 30 to form the loop with outer layer 41 thatreceives ring 62. Although ring 62 is utilized to couple strap 61 tolayers 41 and 42, other joining structures may be utilized, or strap 61may be directly secured to the anchor element formed by layers 41 and42. It should be noted that layers 41 and 42 are depicted as beingformed from a single element of material (i.e., unitary construction),and the combination of layers 41 and 42 may be termed an anchor layer,but layers 41 and 42 may also be joined elements.

Strap 61 is utilized to impart tension to at least inner layer 42,thereby helping to ensure that inner layer 42 wraps around and laysagainst the foot to impart a proper and secure fit. The wearer mayseparate strap 61 from fastener 63, as depicted in FIG. 14, and pullupward on strap 61 to place at least inner layer 42 in tension. Onceinner layer 42 contacts and wraps securely around the foot, the wearermay pull strap 61 to medial side 15 and secure strap 61 to fastener 63.

In another configuration, which is depicted in FIG. 15A, the end ofstrap 61 extends through ring 62 and is joined to upper 30 in throatarea 36. Additionally, the end of strap 61 defines one or more of theapertures that form lace-receiving elements 33. An advantage of thisconfiguration is that the end of strap 61 may effectively reinforce theapertures in the area of strap 61.

FIG. 15B depicts another configuration wherein inner layer 42 alone alsoforms a loop that receives ring 62. That is, the end of inner layer 42extends through ring 62 and is joined to itself to form the loop thatreceives ring 62.

In each of the configurations depicted in FIGS. 12-15B, tensioning strap61 induces inner layer 42 to provide support for the foot, therebyimparting a proper and secure fit. Also, although ring 62 is utilized tocouple strap 61 in the configurations of FIGS. 15A and 15B, otherjoining structures may be utilized, or strap 61 may be directly securedto the anchor element formed by one or both of layers 41 and 42.

Exemplary Configuration

The various configurations discussed above and depicted in the figuresprovide examples of the numerous features that may be incorporated intofootwear 10. Although many of the configurations are discussed anddepicted separately, features from some configurations may be utilizedin combination with features from other configurations. FIGS. 16 and 17depict footwear 10 as incorporating three structures with the featuresof layered fit system 40. More particularly, footwear 10 includes aninner layer 71 located on lateral side 14, an inner layer 72 alsolocated on lateral side 14, and an inner layer 73 located on medial side15. Each of these layers 71-73 correspond in function and structure tothe various configurations of inner layer 42 discussed above. As such,layers 71-73 form anchor elements and assist with providing a proper andsecure fit for feet with different proportions.

Inner layer 71 is positioned to generally correspond with a ball of thefoot, which includes the joints between the metatarsal bones and theproximal phalanges of the foot. In comparison with configurations ofinner layer 42 previously described, inner layer 71 exhibits greaterwidth and covers, therefore, a greater area of the foot. Although theposition of inner layer 71 may vary considerably, a center of innerlayer 71 may be generally positioned at 60 to 80 percent of a distancefrom a rear surface of the void within upper 20 to a front surface ofthe void within upper 20. When dimensioned for a men's US size 9 shoe,for example, inner layer 71 may have a width of approximately 60millimeters. In some configurations, inner layer 71 may be a singlesheet of material that (a) is secured at a position corresponding withthe central area of sole structure 20, (b) is unsecured in theperipheral area, and (c) extends upward along the interior surface ofupper 20 to throat area 36. In other configurations, inner layer 71 maybe two or more separate sheets of material that impart an articulatedaspect.

Inner layer 72 is positioned to generally correspond with a rear area ofthe foot. Although the position of inner layer 72 may vary considerably,a center of a portion of inner layer 72 that is adjacent to solestructure 20 may be generally positioned at 25 to 30 percent of adistance from the rear surface of the void within upper 20 to the frontsurface of the void within upper 20. That is, the portion of inner layer72 that is (a) is secured in heel region 13 to a position correspondingwith the central area of sole structure 20 and (b) is unsecured in theperipheral area may positioned at 25 to 30 percent of a distance fromthe rear to front surface of the void within upper 20. Additionally,inner layer 72 extends forwardly and at an upward angle along theinterior surface of upper 20 to throat area 36.

Inner layer 73 is positioned to generally correspond with an arch of thefoot. Although the position of inner layer 73 may vary considerably, acenter of inner layer 73 may be generally positioned at 45 to 50 percentof a distance from the rear surface of the void within upper 20 to thefront surface of the void within upper 20. When dimensioned for a men'sUS size 9 shoe, for example, inner layer 73 may have a width of at least50 millimeters. In general, inner layer 73 (a) is secured at a positioncorresponding with the central area of sole structure 20, (b) isunsecured in the peripheral area, and (c) extends upward along theinterior surface of upper 20 to throat area 36. In other configurations,inner layer 71 may be two or more separate sheets of material thatimpart an articulated aspect.

An additional aspect relating to inner layer 73 is the presence of astrap 74. Although strap 74 may have various configurations, strap 74may also exhibit any of the structures discussed above for strap 61. Assuch, strap 74 may interface with inner layer 73 in the same manner asstrap 61 interfaced with layers 41 and 42 in FIGS. 12-15B. In operation,tensioning strap 74 induces inner layer 73 to provide support for thefoot, thereby imparting a proper and secure fit.

Referring to FIG. 18, another embodiment is illustrated wherein an angle75 is formed between (a) a first line that extends at a right angle to alongitudinal axis 76 of footwear 10 and (b) a second line that extendsthrough two apertures forming the lace-receiving elements 33 positionedclosest to a front of footwear 10. These two apertures are locatedbetween both of inner layers 71 and 73. In effect, this this locationfor the two apertures aligns lace 32 with the tensioning force that isgenerated between inner layers 71 and 73 during cutting movements, whichmay impart greater stability to footwear 10.

The invention is disclosed above and in the accompanying figures withreference to a variety of configurations. The purpose served by thedisclosure, however, is to provide an example of the various featuresand concepts related to the invention, not to limit the scope of theinvention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that numerousvariations and modifications may be made to the configurations describedabove without departing from the scope of the present invention, asdefined by the appended claims.

1. An article of footwear comprising: a sole structure having a peripheral area and a central area located inward from the peripheral area; and an upper for receiving a foot of a wearer, the upper having: an outer layer extending from a throat area of the upper to a lower area of the upper, and the outer layer being secured at the peripheral area of the sole structure, and an inner layer located inward of the outer layer and extending from the throat area to the lower area, the inner layer laying adjacent to the outer layer, and the inner layer being (a) secured at the central area of the sole structure and (b) unsecured between the throat area and the central area of the sole structure.
 2. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the outer layer is secured to the inner layer in the throat area.
 3. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the outer layer is secured to the inner layer, at least one of the outer layer and the inner layer form a loop in the throat area, and the upper has a lace that extends through the loop.
 4. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the inner layer extends through an opening in the outer layer, and the inner layer is joined with a strap.
 5. The article of footwear recited in claim 4, wherein the strap extends from a lateral side to a medial side of the article of footwear.
 6. The article of footwear recited in claim 4, wherein the strap is secured to a fastener on the exterior surface of the footwear.
 7. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the inner layer is located in (a) a lateral side of the article of footwear and (b) a portion of the upper that receives a ball of the foot.
 8. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the inner layer is located in (a) a medial side of the article of footwear and (b) a portion of the upper that receives an arch of the foot.
 9. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the inner layer is located in a lateral side of the article of footwear, and another inner layer is located in a medial side of the article of footwear.
 10. An article of footwear comprising: a sole structure having an upper surface and an opposite ground-contacting surface, the upper surface having a peripheral area and a central area located inward from the peripheral area; and an upper that defines a void within the footwear for receiving a foot of a wearer, the upper having a throat area that includes a lace and a lower area where the upper is secured to the upper surface of the sole structure, the upper including: (a) an outer layer extending from the throat area to the lower area, the outer layer being secured to the peripheral area of the upper surface of the sole structure; and (b) an inner layer located inward of the outer layer, the inner layer extending from the throat area to the lower area, the inner layer laying adjacent to the outer layer and the peripheral area of the upper surface of the sole structure, the inner layer being secured to the central area of the upper surface of the sole structure, and the inner layer being unsecured (a) to the outer layer in a region between the throat area and the lower area and (b) at the peripheral area of the upper surface of the sole structure, the outer layer and the inner layer being secured to each other in the throat area, and the lace being coupled to the outer layer and the inner layer in the throat area.
 11. The article of footwear recited in claim 10, wherein the outer layer and the inner layer form a loop in the throat area, and the lace extends through the loop.
 12. The article of footwear recited in claim 10, wherein the inner layer is located in (a) a lateral side of the article of footwear and (b) at an interface between a forefoot region and a midfoot region of the article of footwear.
 13. The article of footwear recited in claim 10, wherein the inner layer is located in (a) a medial side of the article of footwear and (b) a midfoot region of the article of footwear.
 14. The article of footwear recited in claim 10, wherein the inner layer is located in a lateral side of the article of footwear, and another inner layer is located in a medial side of the article of footwear.
 15. The article of footwear recited in claim 10, wherein the outer layer includes multiple strata formed from different materials.
 16. The article of footwear recited in claim 10, wherein the outer layer forms a portion of an exterior surface of the article of footwear and a portion of an interior surface that defines a void for receiving a foot of a wearer.
 17. The article of footwear recited in claim 10, wherein the outer layer and the inner layer are formed of unitary, one-piece construction.
 18. An article of footwear comprising: a sole structure having a peripheral area and a central area located inward from the peripheral area; and an upper for receiving a foot of a wearer, the upper having: an anchor element that includes an outer layer portion and an inner layer portion, the outer layer portion extending from a throat area of the upper to a lower area of the upper, and the outer layer portion being secured at the peripheral area of the sole structure, the inner layer portion being located within the upper and (a) secured at the central area of the sole structure and (b) unsecured between the throat area and the central area of the sole structure, and the inner layer portion extending through an opening in the upper to form a loop with the outer layer portion; and a strap coupled to the loop and is securable to a fastener on the exterior surface of the footwear.
 19. The article of footwear recited in claim 18, wherein the strap extends from a lateral side to a medial side of the article of footwear.
 20. The article of footwear recited in claim 18, wherein the strap extends across the throat area of the upper.
 21. An article of footwear comprising: a sole structure having a peripheral area and a central area located inward from the peripheral area; and an upper defining a void for receiving a foot of a wearer, the upper having: an inner layer extending from a throat area of the upper to a lower area of the upper, the inner layer being located within the void and secured at the central area of the sole structure, the inner layer being unsecured between the throat area and the central area of the sole structure, and an end area of the inner layer extending through an opening in the upper; and a strap that is coupled to the end area of the inner layer and is securable to a fastener on the exterior surface of the footwear.
 22. The article of footwear recited in claim 21, wherein the strap extends from a lateral side to a medial side of the article of footwear.
 23. The article of footwear recited in claim 21, wherein the strap extends across the throat area of the upper. 